# Sustainability and Marquee Hire
Sustainability in the events industry is an area where enthusiasm sometimes outpaces honesty. Carbon-neutral events, zero-waste festivals, offset schemes attached to occasions that are, by any sensible reckoning, not zero-anything — the language has become familiar enough to be meaningless.
We are not going to do that. This post is an honest assessment of where marquee hire sits in terms of environmental impact, what choices are available to clients who want to reduce that impact, and what we do ourselves. If we do not do something, we will say so.
Power
Power is the most significant environmental variable in a marquee event. A generator running for two days of a wedding — build, event, breakdown — consumes real diesel and produces real emissions. This is a straightforward fact.
Mains power, where available and sufficient for the load, is the better option on environmental grounds. It avoids generator fuel entirely, produces no local emissions, and is often more cost-effective. For events at properties with adequate mains supply, we will always recommend it.
Generator hire remains necessary for many rural events and sites without mains access. Where it is required, generator size matters: an oversized generator running at 30% load is inefficient; a correctly sized unit running near its rated capacity is considerably better. We size generators to the actual load, not to a comfortable margin.
Hybrid and battery-backed generators are an emerging option for events where the load is variable — the generator charges a battery bank which powers the event, with the generator cycling on and off rather than running continuously. This technology is available and we can discuss it for appropriate events. It is not a panacea, and the economics depend on the event profile. <!-- PAUL TO VERIFY: Is hybrid/battery generator hire something PSM currently offers or can source? -->
Waste
A marquee event generates waste. Food waste is the catering company's responsibility. Marquee-specific waste — packaging from materials, consumable items like disposable table coverings, single-use items in the bar and catering setup — is worth considering.
Linen and reusable tableware reduce event waste significantly compared to disposable alternatives. If you are sourcing furniture and tableware from your marquee company or a hire company, choosing reusable items over disposables is the most straightforward reduction available.
Structure and equipment reuse is, it should be said, the default model for marquee hire: the structure goes up, comes down, and goes up again for the next event. This is fundamentally different from single-use events infrastructure, and it is worth acknowledging as such.
Flooring and lining are reused across multiple events. Materials at end of life are recycled where possible rather than going to landfill. <!-- PAUL TO VERIFY: Confirm PSM's actual approach to end-of-life materials disposal. -->
Materials and suppliers
Marquee structures are manufactured predominantly from aluminium and PVC canvas. Both have environmental costs in production; both have long service lives that amortise those costs across many events. The canvas structures in active use in our fleet have been in service for years, not months.
Décor and interiors is an area where choices differ. Faux flowers made from synthetic materials that end up in landfill after one event are a different proposition from natural materials or items that are reused. If the sustainability of the interior dressing is important to you, it is worth discussing with your florist and stylist as well as your marquee company.
What to ask your marquee supplier
If sustainability is a factor in your decision, these are reasonable questions to ask any marquee hire company:
1. Power: is mains power an option for my event? If not, how is the generator sized and what fuel does it use?
2. End of life: what happens to your materials and equipment at end of life? Is any of it recycled?
3. Suppliers: do you have a preferred supplier list, and do any of them have environmental credentials relevant to my event?
4. Offsets: do you offer carbon offset schemes, and if so, what are they offsetting against and through which verified programme?
On the last point: we would encourage scepticism of vague offset claims. A marquee company saying an event is "carbon neutral" without specifying the methodology and the verifying body should prompt follow-up questions.
What we do
- We size generators to the actual load for each event, avoiding unnecessary overcapacity and fuel waste.
- We recommend mains power wherever the site supports it.
- Our structures and interior equipment are reused across many events as a standard operating model.
- End-of-life materials are disposed of responsibly. <!-- PAUL TO VERIFY: Specific disposal/recycling arrangements. -->
- We do not currently offer a carbon offset scheme attached to event hire. If this is something you want to arrange independently, we can provide the relevant consumption data to support a calculation.
We are a small family business, not a B Corp. We do not have a sustainability manager or a formal environmental policy document. What we do have is a straightforward interest in not wasting resources, which aligns with good environmental practice more reliably than most schemes.
Frequently asked questions
Can a marquee event be carbon neutral?
Technically, it can be offset to net zero, but that is different from being inherently low-carbon. A well-run marquee event with mains power, reusable interiors, and a verified offset for unavoidable emissions could reasonably claim carbon neutrality. The key word is verified — the offset scheme matters. For most marquee events, an honest characterisation is "lower impact than it might appear, but not zero impact."
Is a tipi or traditional marquee more sustainable than a clear-span?
In terms of the structure materials, there is no significant difference between structure types on sustainability grounds. The main variables — power consumption, waste, and transport — are not determined by the structure type but by how the event is run.
Do you offer environmentally certified suppliers for catering or décor?
We work with a consistent set of suppliers in Sussex and Surrey. We do not currently audit them for environmental certification, but we are happy to share who we work with so you can make your own enquiries. <!-- PAUL TO VERIFY: Any supplier relationships with environmental credentials worth mentioning here. -->